Caitlin Clark might be the biggest star in all of sports at the moment.
For the second consecutive week, the Indiana Fever superstar participated in a Pro-Am on the Wednesday before the first round of a pro golf tournament. This time, she teed it up ahead of the RSM Classic, the final event of the PGA Tour season in Sea Island, Georgia.
Last week, in Bellair, Florida, Clark played alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam, which brought out thousands of excited fans and created quite the buzz. This time, Clark’s presence was more subdued, and that was by design. Nobody knew Clark would be in Georgia until Tuesday. She played alongside PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and 2023 Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson.
Others participating in the Pro-Am included 7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady, former NFL MVP Matt Ryan, and music star Darius Rucker. And yet, Clark still garnered the most interest. No wonder why she played with Monahan and Johnson, which marks the second straight week she was a part of a high-profile pairing.
“Pretty incredible what she’s done in her sport and what she’s done for sport and what she’s doing for golf,” Davis Love III, the tournament host, said of Clark.
“I haven’t played with her or seen her play, so hopefully, she continues to grow in her game.”
Unlike last week at The ANNIKA, Clark did not come close to hitting any spectators on Wednesday at the RSM Classic. She instead stripped multiple drives down the fairway, impressing everyone on the property.
Clark undoubtedly brought plenty of attention to Sea Island this week, but this year’s RSM Classic is celebrating its 15th anniversary and features many intriguing storylines. Plenty is on the line for dozens of PGA Tour pros, as only the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings after this week earn PGA Tour cards for the following season. Sitting right on the periphery is fan-favorite Joel Dahmen, who arrives in Georgia ranked 124th in the FedEx Cup standings. Dahmen must play well and, at the very least, make the cut to keep his playing privileges next year.
Another narrative to watch this week is how defending champion Ludvig Åberg will play. The young Swede won his first PGA Tour title in Sea Island one year ago but has not won a tournament since. He has posted three runner-up finishes, including a solo second at Augusta National. But he underwent surgery in September to repair a torn meniscus, and this week will mark Åberg’s first start since the operation.
Yet, Clark might be the biggest story of them all, which speaks volumes about the impact she continues to make.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
